While many lakes have safe ice, some of smaller ones with surface water running into them are showing signs of some shoreline ice thinning. Most lakes have water on top of ice so ice cleats should be worn and rubber boots are a must. Biologists are starting to voice concern over the low amounts of dissolved oxygen in ice-covered lakes. If levels continue to drop we may see a serious winter fish kill on favorite lakes.
LAKE MICHIGAN (WAUKEGAN/WINTHROP HARBOR) * *
Anglers working the drift at the power plant report flies in chartreuse, hot orange and pink have produced a few fish. Live bait seems to pull in a few more strikes. Winthrop Harbor: Very slow and light fishing pressure.
LAKE MICHIGAN (CHICAGO) * * +
They are still ice fishing in the harbors; pending rain may make access to some areas difficult. Perch numbers have been high but sizes are small. Some anglers report they are catching up to 50 perch to get 10 keepers. Navy Pier has open water on the north side but fish seem to be running in schools and your action will be good for a while, then nothing for a time. Wax worms, spikes and minnows were the best baits.
COOK COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES * *
All lakes regulated to ice fishing are open except for Busse and Sag Quarry East and West. Open lakes are: Maple, Belleau, Saganashkee Slough and Tampier, Turtle head, Axehead, Beck, Papoose and Wampum. Lakes must have four inches of ice and no open water to be opened for ice fishing.
CHAIN O’ LAKES * * +
Ice conditions are very good all over the Chain. Channel Lake was the spot again for bluegills. Over the weekend one angler caught 15 fish for a total weight of 4.72 pounds. Crappie were being taken by good ice fishermen on Channel with some fish in the 11-inch-plus class. The Rt. 12 bridge yielded two 12-inch walleye in the open water. Marie is still having a night bite for white bass, but reports vary from fair to good. Yellow bass on Pistakee were hitting wax worms and minnows.
SHABBONA LAKE * *
Ice conditions are still good. Anglers are finding most action around the fish cribs and brush piles on small baits. Tip-ups by the deep trees are still slow.
BANGS LAKE * *
Late in the afternoon, crappie and bluegill get hungry and action picks up, but quickly drops off before dark.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER (ILL.) *
Things are in a slow period right now. Main river is quiet while backwaters that were hot are only yielding a few fish. No larger game fish have been taken–only smaller panfish.
ILLINOIS RIVER * +
The river is trying to open up more and look like spring, but it’s still slow. If our area does get predicted rain, the river will rise and open up quickly, but it will also become muddy for a few days. Some anglers have taken sauger, but action is light on minnows.
LOON LAKE * * +
Bluegill on ice rods on spikes and wax worms, while tip-ups with minnows are taking northern pike.
DUPAGE FOREST PRESERVE * *
Blackwell: Bluegill are holding tight in the weeds and fishing right on the edges can produce some nice catches. Songbird Slough: Small bluegills on ice jigs and spikes.
WINNEBAGO (WIS.) * * *
The west end of the lake was still yielding perch but it slowed down a little. Bluegill were reported to be hitting small, bright ice spoons tipped with bait about a foot or two off the bottom.
DELAVAN (WIS.) * * +
Most ice anglers are coming out late in the afternoon and fishing until 8 p.m. Northern, bluegill, some crappie and a few walleye will make up your catch.
BIG GREEN LAKE (WIS.) * * *
Northern pike were popping tip-ups on the edges of the drop-offs starting in seven feet of water and dropping off the edge. Tip-ups will be your better presentation and you can set them out along the edges.
PUCKAWAY (WIS.) * * *
Smart northern pike were hitting minnows very lightly under tip-ups. Fish would hit baits and sit–not run away. Ice anglers are then pulling many hooks away from the fish by not checking to see if the fish was on or not.
GENEVA (WIS.) * * *
On Williams Bay, anglers out early had a few flags during the day but missed many fish. Midday was slow with no panfish biting. After 3 p.m., the northern pike woke up and started to popping flags like they were on a schedule. Fish then stopped hitting until after dark. Crappies were reported good from dusk, until around 8 p.m.
HAYWARD AREA (WIS.) * * +
Panfish are active, but access is fair to poor. Good crappie action was reported on Nelson, Smith, Long and Couderay lakes. Northern pile were still hitting on tip-ups set on the weed edges close to the drop-offs and deeper water.
EAGLE RIVER (WIS.) * * +
Northern pike have been giving up the most action in the weedy bays throughout the day on tip-ups with shiners or sucker minnows. Walleye have slowed down, with only a little action coming at night on larger, deeper lakes on golden shiners in 10 to 20 feet of water over the tops of deep structure. Bluegills are being caught in deeper water on bright-colored jigs tipped with minnow or wax worms.
ROOT RIVER (WIS.) *
The River is open from the dam to Quarry Park but fishing has been slow.
MADISON CHAIN (WIS.) * * +
Ice conditions remain good throughout the Chain, with a foot or more of ice on most lakes. Perch are spotty on Lakes Mendota and Monona. Fish are being caught, but you have to spend a half a day or more on the ice. Northern pike have been biting on Lake Waubesa off the north end by Lake Farm Park and the Green Lantern.
PORT WASHINGTON (WIS.) * * +
Anglers working near the power plant discharge have been catching a few brown trout on spawn sacs and spoons. Anglers in the north slip have reported catching a few browns on minnows.
BOULDER JUNCTION (WIS.) * * *
Northern pike were hitting in 5 to 10 feet of water, in and around green weeds on tip-ups dressed with minnows. Perch fishing is starting to pick up again. Bluegill are good in shallow weeds in 2 to 6 feet of water.
